Horloge met ketting c. 1750 - 1800

Editor: This is an intriguing pocket watch and chain, crafted from silver and metal sometime between 1750 and 1800 by J. Worke. Its aged appearance gives it a somewhat somber and refined air, and the intricate detailing hints at a story. How might we understand its creation through a material lens? Curator: Look closely at the layering of silver and the connecting chains. We can explore the processes involved in extracting, refining, and manipulating silver. This object exists because of an elaborate mining infrastructure and complex network of trade, right? The silversmith's skill becomes not just artistry, but a negotiation between human labor and raw materials. Consider where the metal came from, and who was involved in its production and distribution. Editor: So you’re saying this watch is as much about resource extraction and labor as it is about telling time? It challenges my view of decorative art. Curator: Precisely. The chains, for example, suggest restriction as much as adornment. And that delicate key - was its production handled separately? How was labour divided during its creation? Who owned it and what did they want to project? Also, let's not forget the rise of a consumer culture in the 18th century. This isn't merely a functional item, but a signifier of status. Editor: It is fascinating to consider how the object embodies all these socio-economic relations. I wouldn't have thought to look at it that way! Curator: By considering the labor and processes involved, we get a much richer sense of the cultural and historical contexts that this object embodies. Editor: I appreciate this new perspective – seeing beyond just aesthetics to the socio-economic implications of its making.